Plantronics GameCom X95 Wireless Xbox 360 Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Headset4. Comfort and Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Plantronics are a relatively new player in the gaming peripheral industry, especially when compared to the likes of SteelSeries, Razer and Logitech. They do however have plenty of experience with other types of audio products aimed at both corporate and consumer markets.  We recently looked at their GameCom X40 headset which we felt offered great value for money.

Today we are going to look at the Plantronics GameCom X95 Wireless Xbox 360 headset which is essentially a wireless version of the X40 headset that we reviewed recently.  It also features a very attractive price of around £50, which is sure to tempt many consumers.

Features

• Enjoy immersive gaming, thanks to a closed-ear design and 40 mm speakers
• Tuck away the adjustable microphone when not in use
• Stay comfortable with the specially designed earpods and headband
• Adjust the volume using convenient on-ear controls
• Play in style thanks to the sleek, contemporary design
• Connect easily to your Xbox 360 and TV

The GameCom X95 is supplied in attractive packaging which is designed in a way to make it more accessible than the GameCom X40.  The headset itself sits in a vacuum-formed plastic tray within an outer box which should provide a reasonable level of protection for the headset inside while in transit.

Plantronics have chosen to use a green and black livery for the box which reflects the colour scheme used by Microsoft for the Xbox 360.  Both the front and reverse sides of the box detail the features and specification of the headset in a number of different languages.

The bundle included with the GameCom X95 is very similar to the GameCom X40's, with the addition of the wireless receiver unit.  There is also a pair of AAA batteries included to power the headset and a 3.5mm to RCA cable which plugs into the back of the wireless receiver unit.

Plantronics have opted for a black and white colour scheme for the GameCom X95 which is reasonably appealing but not quite as nice as the white and grey of the GameCom X40 in our opinion.  It should stand the test of time better than the white and grey of the GameCom X40, though, as the predominantly black finish wont pick up visible grime over time.  The matte finish of the headset should prove to be practical in the long run as it will resist scratches and marks much better than glossy plastic.

The GameCom X95 uses exactly the same basic design as the GameCom X40, which is no bad thing.  Although it isn't the most exciting design we've seen, it has a simple elegance about it that will appeal to a broader market than some more exotic headset designs we've seen.

As the GameCom X95 is a wireless headset, it would be virtually impossible for Plantronics to use an in-line control.  They have therefore chosen to place the volume control roller switches and microphone mute buttons on the back of the earpieces.  There is also a power button for the headset located here which will stop the battery from being drained while it is not in use.

To achieve a more attractive price point, Plantronics has chosen not to include a built in battery.  This means that you'll either have to keep refueling the headset with AAA batteries – which could become expensive if you use the headset a lot – or invest in some rechargeable AAA batteries and a charger.

The latter of these two options makes the most sense to us.  To insert the batteries into the headset we are first required to remove the right earpad by twisting it, revealing two slots for the batteries.  When they've been inserted, the earpad just twists back on.

When not in use, the Microphone sits right up against the inside of the headband so it is completely out of the way.  When you do want to use it, it folds down easily and can be extended so you can find the best position.  It is a uni-directional noise cancelling microphone that produced reasonable quality audio in our tests that we found perfectly good enough for Xbox Live Chat.

One of the main benefits of using a wireless headset for Xbox 360 gaming is that you don't have to put up with all the cables that are usually required for connection.  Although it is marketed as a ‘Wireless headset', you still need to run a cable between the headset and controller for Xbox Live Chat.

The Wireless Receiver Unit must be plugged into your Xbox 360 using the attached USB cable alongside the audio cable which terminates in two RCA connectors.  Those who use an HDMI cable other than the Xbox official one may run into trouble connecting these as you need the audio adapter that is included with it (pictured below).  Those who use the standard AV cable will be fine, however.

We found the GameCom X95 to be quite comfortable during use, largely thanks to the light weight of the headset.  This is one of the advantages of using AAA batteries as the headset's power source, rather than a heavier inbuilt lithium battery.

Plantronics have chosen to use cloth covered earpads which are favorable for long, intense gaming sessions. That said, they do pick up fluff and dirt quite readily and it can be difficult to shift if you don't brush it off quite regularly.  The headband is also padded, helping to improve comfort.

The earpads exert just the right amount of force to the sides of your head to keep the headset secure during use without causing discomfort if they're used for an extended period of time. Make sure you adjust the headband correctly, though, as it can become uncomfortable after a while if it's set too small.

We started our gaming tests using Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as first person shooters like this are played by millions of gamers across the globe. The headset has been well configured for gaming but we found that it didn't provide such an immersive experience as the GameCom X40.  Gunshots and explosions were not overexposed however, and we were still able to hear our footsteps and the sounds of those creeping up behind us.  We also tested the headset in Forza 3, in which engine sounds were reproduced accurately and clearly.

As with any stereo headset, the sound panning ability of the GameCom X95 is limited, albeit slightly better than just using the stereo speakers on our television.  The headset doesn't have any active noise cancellation but did a good job of blocking out external sounds when we upped the volume to a reasonable level.

As we mentioned in the introduction, the Plantronics GameCom X95 is basically a wireless version of the GameCom X40 headset with a slightly different colour scheme.  Although wireless headsets appeal to a wide audience, we feel that they are expensive to run unless they are rechargeable.

For occasional gamers this might not be such an issue but those who use their consoles more frequently could rack up significant costs if they have to keep replacing batteries. Purchasing a battery charger and a set of AAA rechargeable batteries is one solution to this problem but this could cost up to £20, negating the high value for money that the headset offers.

The X95 does one benefit over the GameCom X40, though, as you can plug a 3.5mm cable into the Wireless Receiver Unit and use the X95 as headphones for your PC. That said, the microphone is limited to the 2.5mm connector used for Xbox Live Chat, so it can't be used with a PC.

Even though it lacks an integrated rechargeable battery, we still have mainly positive feelings for the X95, thanks in part to the competitive pricing.  It can be yours for just under £50 at Kikatek which is only approximately £14 more than the wired X40 version.  We doubt that there are many other wireless Xbox 360 headsets out there that offer a similar level of performance to the GameCom X95, especially at this price.

Everything considered, we would still recommend the GameCom X40 over the X95 as the cost of replacing the batteries could be expensive, over time.

Pros

• Reasonable Sound Quality
• Good Value For Money

Cons

• No Integrated Battery
• Can't use Microphone with PC

KitGuru says:  The GameCom X95 offers good value for a wireless headset but we feel the X40 is a better overall purchase.

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